The Golden Gore
by MonsterHumper
Summary: One day a hunter is saved by a young Gore. As time goes on she finds she keeps running into the same Gore, and from there an attachment grows. But can a relationship between a hunter and a monster last? (f) hunter x (m) Gore/Shagaru Magala
1. Chapter 1: A Jaunt with a Juvenile

Chapter 1: A Jaunt with a Juvenile

"I'll place the trap!" I called out to my fellow hunters as they kept the Khezu busy, dodging its deadly electric attacks.

I quickly knelt, setting the pitfall. Once it was ready I called the other hunters to me. The Khezu slowly stalked over to us as we waited for his foot to trigger our trap. I clenched the tranq bomb in my hand ready for the moment when the huge wyvern would tumble down.

Throwing a bomb, my hunting partner tossed one at the same time. It was an easy success! With a sigh I relaxed jogging out of the caves to mine some ore I saw earlier. Picking up supplies I glanced up to the sky: a mosaic of brushstrokes in blue and grey. Cutting across the canvas streaked a golden form, cutting the stormy blue with its wings huge and glittering, like a many-pointed star. I marvelled at it, never having seen a monster like that before. I watched as it disappeared into the horizon as quickly as it had appeared. Little did I know at the time, but it was none other than a Shagaru Magala that I saw. Little did I know exactly what it meant for a Shagaru to be leaving his territory. My hunter rank was only 2 at the time - I felt on top of the world. I took it as a lucky sign for my hunts ahead.

It was about a year later I begun to hear more about the frenzy virus and how it was effecting the creatures around the area. There was an unprecedented number of Gore Magalas running rampant, and it was slowly becoming a big problem for daily life, trade and the ecosystem as a whole. Though I did want to help the cause, I wasn't looking to be a charity worker. I was after one thing - increasing my HR to get high-level quests, and get lots of zenny of course. I even ended up making a competition with a friend for who could get to higher ranked quests first, and I wasn't in the business of losing.

I accepted a quest to hunt a Tigrex in the Ancestral Steppe, and it was business as usual. I had a team of three - a charge blade user, an archer and myself, the greatsword. We found the Tigrex quickly and begun the slaughter.

I ran around, positioning myself on the cliffs as the wyvern was occupied with the charge blade hunter. I jumped off, drawing the sword and shooting towards him. I misjudged. With a razor fast spin he threw the both of us back. As I struggled up, trying to recover from the strong hit, in another second he was running for the archer. Having also been hit just earlier, he didn't have the time to dodge, and hadn't healed up properly. He disappeared from the battle, notifying us he was abandoning the quest. With a curse from myself, the charge blade user was the next to abandon. I was close to quitting as well, but the Tigrex was starting to look bloodied, and I could tell he was getting tired.

'I have a trap and tranqs on me - if I can hold out for a bit longer I should be okay.' I thought, keeping alert and dodging as he charged me. Slashing at him, I needed to take some potions. I sheathed my sword and reached for a mega potion, thankful for the break in his attacks. I was too late in realizing why exactly the Tigrex was hanging back and giving me a break, making a rookie mistake. Just before gulping down my potion, I guarded with my greatsword at the last second, taking most of the impact of the Tigrex's roar. Even guarding I was still sent stumbling back into a cliff's steep side.

As I struggled back up, he wound up, biting twice. I didn't have enough time to dodge or guard. Teeth struck and I was pushed into the side of the cliff once more. My head smashed against the hard rock and my vision disappeared as I tried to get my bearings. My helmet must have shifted, and I was suffering for it. I stumbled, and I could hear the creature getting ready to attack again, but I couldn't do anything to stop it. I tried feebly to get my sword in front of me, but I was too dizzy and the great weight of the sword threw my balance.

I cowered, waiting for the impact that would most likely kill me. This was what I got for being a greedy hunter.

With a snarling shriek of a roar I felt the wind rushing past me. Finally regaining my eyes and my balance I clutched my sword, pulling out my mega potions.

In front of me a small Gore Magala had jumped on the Tigrex and they were now wrestling. The Tigrex snapped at the dark dragon, or wyvern, or whatever it was classified as, and I gulped down the potions as fast as I possibly could. I couldn't believe my incredible luck!

Revitalized I took stock of inventory. I still had quite a few potions left, and with a quick whetstone against my sword's edge I felt ready to battle again. It was a little more dangerous with the small Gore there, but I wasn't going to pass the chance up. I was going to kill this Tiggy and gloat to all the assholes that abandoned.

Standing back as the two fought, they seemed almost evenly matched. Even though the Tigrex was older and bigger, the Gore was sprightly and aggressive. I let the two fight for a bit, letting them tire. Hopefully one would go to a different area, and it would be easier to hunt after that.

Crouching I watched the Gore begin to tire, wasting his energy on inefficient moves and reacting badly to the Tigrex's battle experience. The tables were slowly turning.

Blasting away the Gore with a ball of rock, the black creature was knocked prone. Not wasting a second, the Tigrex charged, it's claws razor sharp.

The cry of pain that came from the Gore was pitiable. I saw a large gash against his chest and he was breathing heavily. I don't know why I felt so empathetic for a creature like that one – hell, I kill creatures for a living - but before I knew it I was jumping off the cliff, swinging out my greatsword to land a heavy hit on the Tigrex's back. Jumping on, I managed to topple him after grappling and stabbing him with my knife. As he struggled to gain his footing I unleashed a flurry of hard-hitting attacks, soon finishing off what fight the Tigrex had left.

As his last breath left him, I carved various pieces, eventually wandering over to the Gore, who was still emitting a sad, high-pitched whine.

He was curled around his wound, licking it as his dark blood oozed out, his frenzy virus flaring around him. He finally noticed me and took a defensive position, kneeling back on three limbs, ready to strike, but also favouring his right arm. He hissed at me, more a warning than a threat. He wouldn't pose much of a danger right now, especially so wounded. I felt bad. This little gore had saved me - whether he meant to or not - and I felt I owed him something.

Setting my pack down I took out a piece of raw meat, drenching the skin with a megapotion.

I had no idea if it would work but I offered it out for him to take.

He flinched away, hissing as he took another step back.

"Come on, eat it stupid. It'll help you." I didn't have all day to spend with this Gore. I needed to get back to hunting.

"Here."

I tossed the meat over and again he flinched away, baring his teeth and snapping at me. I waited for a good five minutes at least before he realized I wasn't coming closer and finally begun to sniff the meat I tossed over.

Carefully chomping on it, the Gore devoured it rather quickly, looking markedly more calm, but still dangerous now that it was in better health.

I grabbed another from my pack this time inching closer to him and leaving it from my hand.

He moved closer, his virus flaring out around him and his feelers perking up. They floated forwards, concentrating around my form as the virus rushed out to meet me. The purple cloud had a strange feeling to it, but I ignored it. Humans could purge it after a small period of being weaker. Since I was done hunting I figured it would be fine. I shook the raw meat for him to notice it and he took it from my hands, chewing away as I grabbed one more.

I inched closer, wondering just how close I'd be able to get. I offered out the meat again, the Gore this time reaching his head out without any trepidation.

Without even realizing it I reached out slowly, drawn to the jet-black colour of his carapace. My fingertips brushed against his scales, but before I had a chance to even really feel the creature it lashed back at me.

I felt his claws rake against my stomach, sliding beneath my chest plate. A moment later it's tail swung around and struck me to the ground, leaving me dazed for a second time, and bleeding badly from my stomach.

Without another second the Gore was gone, dashing away, it's dark wings following it like a cape.

I cursed my stupidity again, knowing I should have known better. My stomach throbbed with pain, and I felt an uncomfortable tingle at the edges of my wound. Lifting my shirt to inspect it, the black frenzy virus had gathered at the edges of my wound, looking like soot monsters from legends.

Grunting with effort I ripped what I could and made a pathetic excuse for a bandage. It would work until I managed to get back.

—

"Finally." I muttered stumbling into town. Since I had began my walk my body continued to get more and more warm. By the time I reached the village the wounds in my stomach were throbbing and oozing an odd colour. My head felt hot and I was so thirsty I could hardly bear it.

"Hunter! You've returned!"

I looked up to see a figure headed towards me, but my vision was blurred. I opened my mouth to speak, but instead lost my footing. I tumbled to the ground, struggling to breathe. Was this some virus mutation? Was it stronger than the other Gores? And was it enough to kill me?

A sudden line of fire burned along my stomach and I cried out in pain. I could feel hands around me, and I felt a brief but blessed coolness on my forehead before my vision slowly faded, the last image in my head, that of the small Gore.

It was the beginning of a long journey that I could never have fathomed, even in my wildest of dreams.


	2. Chapter 2: The Scarred

Chapter 2: The Scarred

I woke up, my brain struggling to come out of its haze. Where was I?

I looked around, seeing the tell-tale white sheets from the healer's hut. Around me we're mostly hunters wounded in action, though there were a few villagers scattered throughout, only here when no one could take care of them and they'd gotten too sick on their own.

I went to sit up, feeling the fire on my stomach flare up again. I collapsed back down, the healer's face appearing above mine right after.

"You're finally up! That's good to see. How are you feeling right now?"

"Okay I guess." I responded, not really one to go on about my aches and pains.

"You had quite the fever when you arrived. Do you still feel anything? Sore throat, chills, nausea?"

"No - to all three. The only thing I feel is the scratch on my stomach. If that's all am I good to go?"

"You hunters, always so eager to get back in the action aren't you?"

I averted my eyes at the warning note in her voice.

"I'm alerting the guild that you're not allowed to take anything except gathering quests in stable areas." She said coldly. "At least for another two weeks to let yourself heal."

"You can't just..!"

"You should know better than anyone that a wounded hunter is a hunter that will only get in the way."

Noting a few things on her clipboard, she nodded curtly yet politely. It obviously wasn't her first rodeo with hunters.

"You're free to go after you eat the lunch provided to you." She said passively as she skimmed across the beds to check on someone.

As if on cue a humble plate of heavenly bread and fatty tomato were brought to me along with a stopper of water.

I accepted it, cleaning off the plate, unaware before of how hungry I was until I began to eat. When I was done I got up, leaving the tray on the bed and walking out. My stomach still hurt, but not nearly as much as when I'd gotten it. Plus a dragon/wyvern scratch wasn't the worst thing I'd experienced before. The thing bothering me the most was all the time I'd be losing. Who needed that much time to heal anyways?

When I got back to my house I made sure to empty out my pack, sorting my items into my chest. A nice shower and change of clothes would feel better than anything just about now, and hopefully it would help cool off my temper.

Coming out of the shower I felt like a new woman. I briskly dried myself with a rough towel, looking at myself in the mirror. I could finally take stock of the damage myself.

The Gore's claw marks stretched from my upper rib cage to below my hip bones - a scar which I'd no doubt have for life. The part that was strange though was the fact that the knitted skin was not a fresh pink but more of a grey tinged colour. It didn't look good, but it wasn't bothering me especially so I covered it in bandages and decided to forget about it.

I went down to the blacksmith, wanting to see what kind of gear I could make, and see what I needed to upgrade my weapon. Now that I was unable to hunt for two weeks I could at least catch up on everything I'd been skimping on. Upgrades and gemming my equipment were first one on the list. Stocking on supplies were secondary.

"Hey! She lives!"

I turned to the male voice and saw the smiling face of the charge blade user I'd fought with.

"What do you want...?"

"It's Shane."

"As far as I'm concerned you're a poor hunting partner." I said coldly.

"Awe, c'mon, don't be like that! We had some good quests before that. I think we'd be a good team with one more reliable ranged hunter."

"I'm sure you'd like to think that. Thanks to you weak-willed ass I can't hunt for two weeks."

"Daaaamn, two weeks huh? I heard you were in pretty rough shape when you got here, but that's pretty bad. My condolences."

"Yeah, it was bad, and I don't give a shit about your condolences." I was getting tired of his carefree attitude. Taking my newly gemmed equipment I thanked the smith and gave Shane a warning look.

"When your back in hunting shape we should quest together!"

"I told you I'm not interested, alright?"

"Still that upset eh? What will it take to prove you that I'm a good hunter too?"

"Why don't you slay a Tigrex on your own, then come and talk to me."

"A tall order - you're lucky I like that kind of feisty attitude. No problem. Charge blade is the best weapon of choice anyways."

I rolled me eyes. At least I had gotten the scrub to leave me alone. Hopefully he didn't kill himself accidentally. I didn't want that  
idiot on my conscience.

Over the next couple weeks I begun to train again, pushing myself as far as I could without aggravating my wound. My checkup was coming up soon, and I wanted to be in tip-top shape so I could get hunting as soon as possible. Whenever I could I would go on long gathering quests to try and work on my stamina and gather more raw meat.

I would have gone crazy if I hadn't kept myself occupied in the hunters hall, just talking to hunters and finding out the situations  
in each of the hunting ground - what monsters were becoming a problem and what ones weren't seen as much anymore. But finally it was time for my checkup.

"So am I cleared?"

The doctor clicked her tongue.

"I suppose you're good enough. But make sure to take it easy. No huge quests right away until you get used to fighting with your injury."

"Got it." I lied.

"Also, make sure if you feel weak or if your wound has any strange effects, report it to me immediately."

No doubt she was referring to the scarred skin that had deepened to a grey purple colour. She had done all manner of tests, poked it, prodded it, and took samples of it, but the skin yielded no abnormal results besides it's odd appearance.

"I've never seen one like this, so make sure to report back, okay?"

"I'll keep an eye on it." I lied again, feeling twitchy to leave and sign up for a quest. I had to consciously focus on not rolling my  
eyes.

"Alright, here's your note. You can give it to the guild quest counter and you'll be eligible to take on quests again."

"Thanks healer. Have a good one." I snatched the paper from her hands, heading out quicker than I had previously.

"What's the highest priced one right now?" I asked. It had been a month since I was able to hunt again, and those couple weeks off had  
really put a dent in my savings and I needed to make cash quick.

"You know which one." The questrix pushed forward the quest.

"Gore Magala again eh?"

She nodded.

"I'll take it. Sign me up."

"Here you go. It's been posted. Good luck hunter!"

"Thanks!"

Without waiting, I readied myself for my quest, eating quickly. It was only a 3rd rank quest, so I wasn't going to wait around for help.

With a full pack I headed out, my palico by my side.

I knew the Ancestral Steppe like the back of my hand now, and didn't bother grabbing the map. Instead I headed straight for the area I knew the gore would most likely be hanging out.

Once in the clearing I stood still, checking for signs of movement or of presence.

My eyes scanned and saw a patch of scrubs and brushes that looked as if they'd been flattened recently.

I walked over, bending down to get a closer look. As I did I began to sweat. It seemed a lot more warm than it had been just a few moments again. My limbs became shaky as I felt a throb on my stomach. I put a hand on the ground to steady myself, my other hand floating to my abdomen. It felt hot beneath my fingers.

I took out my flask of water, taking a deep swig. Did I manage to get a fever again? It couldn't be that, not this soon.

I wiped my forehead, a sudden emotion overcoming me. He gore was close, and I was going to hunt him. I didn't see him, but I just knew it.

"I have to bow out for now, Nya! But I'll be back soon!" I heard my palico notify me as he left before he was killed.

My hand went to my greatsword and I turned around, sensing to look behind me.

I frowned as I didn't see anything but the cliffs.

Slowly, purple clouds begun to drift around me, flowing over me like rivulets of water. It was a cloud I knew all too well.

I felt a puff of air on my neck. I drew my greatsword in an instant, turning on my heel and hefting it over my head. I felt a twinge in my stomach, feeling my wound tear. I winced, my sword's aim veering. I hit the dark claw and my blade bounced. I held tight as my blade recoiled but my wound flared in pain again and it dropped from my fingers.

I felt a wyvern's paw push forward on my chest, knocking me off my feet, the armour protecting me from any great damage.

I struggled to stand, my vision obscured by the swirling frenzy virus around. The Gore's face was the first thing I saw as it emerged  
through the fog.

I found my blade with my left hand, the wyvern stomping on my chest plate. Gritting my teeth, the gore leaned closer, his feelers pointed outwards, alert.

The wyvern paused, the feelers going to my face as a new cloud of frenzy virus leaked from beneath the gore's wings, washing me anew. Now being bathed in the virus I felt strange. Instead of feeling the usual weakness with the onset of the virus, I felt instead as if I had purged it already. My limbs swelled with strength, my senses sharpening as I took in the details of the gore before me.

His feelers touched against my face, the appendages softer than I thought. I kept my sword at the ready as a familiarity came over me.  
My eyes scanned the wyvern's body, seeing a freshly scabbed over scar on his right shoulder. If this was the same gore as before, he'd already grown a lot since the last time I'd seen him. His limbs had started to fill out, his wings' fur had grown longer, darkened and were glossier. Even his tail had started to take on the appearance of the thicker stem typical of Gore Magalas.

The feelers continued their journey down, the scarred Gore sniffing. I knew I should attack, but I didn't feel in danger with him at the  
moment. His perked feelers explored curiously around me, seeming just as confused as I was.

They slipped beneath my chest plate and beneath my shirt, brushing against my skin. They felt slower as they neared the scar on my  
stomach. As soon as the gentle purple fibres touched the grey skin, the scar tingled warmly. I gripped my sword, unsure of what he was doing to me. I saw his feelers begin to glow, the purple light reflecting against my skin. My entire torso began to tingle pleasantly, my scar throbbing without pain. The small tendrils on his feelers begin to scrub at the skin, making my stomach flip.

With a loud roar, the both of us froze, our heads whipping towards another dark wyvern flying down to land on the bottom most cliff side.

The Gore behind me begun to growl, spittle dripping from his teeth as he bared his fangs. I rolled out of the way, keeping my sword close and drawing it for defence. It wouldn't be a smart idea to stay here with my injury. One Gore was more than enough for my recovery, but two, I didn't want to risk it.

Sheathing my sword I decided to make a break for it, hoping both Gores would occupy themselves with one another.

I pumped my legs, feeling a new surge of strength before they were knocked from under me.

I rolled instead of falling on my ass, seeing the larger of the two Gores beginning to attack me. As his frenzy virus consumed me, it felt  
wrong. It aggravated me.

I swiped at the clouds, feeling a deep hate for this new Gore. Enough to make me want to attack him. To kill him.

I shook my head. No. I didn't want to fight this Gore. Why was I feeling such an emotion?

As the unscarred Gore released more frenzy virus, my rage flared anew. So much that I took out my greatsword, slashing at the wyvern, ignoring the pain in my wound. This gore needed to die.

I hit him square in the face, making him recoil. With a mighty roar his frenzy virus exploded from him as his feelers solidified into two  
strong looking horns. Though I knew I should be cautious, my rage was too strong. This frenzy virus was wrong and alien.

I swung my greatsword at his horns, rolling forward to dodge the three explosions of frenzy in front of him. From beneath him I slashed at his stomach before rolling out from between his legs. With a roar of my own I slashed at his tail, dodging as he leaped around to try and bite me and hit me with his tail.

I felt strong, and alert, and I knew how this Gore moved. It was no problem to dodge him.

With a roar from behind me, I felt another explosion of frenzy take to the air, the particles from the two wyverns all but blotting out the  
sun's light.

The Gore in front of me began to charge. I looked behind me to see what the scarred Gore would do. I was shocked to see him already close behind me, leaping at me. There was no way I'd have enough time to get my weapon out of the way and dodge away, and with the two gores I couldn't even shield myself with my blade.

Feeling the sweat drip down my neck, time seemed to slow. Both of them would be attacking me within seconds. I had to make a decision, and quick.

But what could I do?


	3. Chapter 3: Marked

Chapter 3: Marked

I brought my sword out to shield myself ducking low enough that the scarred Gore wouldn't hit me that hard. I squeezed my eyes shut.

I felt the larger Gore connect with my greatsword, feeling the scarred Gore's claw behind me knock into my back. I stumbled forward, but kept my footing. Above me, the two wyverns were snapping angrily at each other. The larger was rearing up, ready to shoot another large explosion of its frenzy virus.

I went to sheath, but I already knew I wasn't going to make it.

I felt teeth grab the back of my armour, sending me up and away from the resounding explosion. I fell quite ungracefully, crashing into the dirt and rock floor, dragging myself up as quickly as I could recover.

Had Scar just... saved me?

I rushed forward, trying to see through the fog of frenzy virus and debris. Scar had been hit with the attack, full on and he seemed to be suffering for it. One of his hardened feelers had broken and he was breathing hard.

Hopefully he'd take his time and recover. I had faced enough Gores now that fighting one on my own was do-able – especially without having to worry Scar getting in my way.

Shouldering off my pack I threw a few raw meats at the scarred gore, then began to run at the larger. He noticed right away, his virus flaring around him. As I charged into his cloud I felt my body weakening considerably. I couldn't slow down now though. He reared up, ready to slam down on top of me. I felt my heart pounding. The timing would be close. He teetered up on his hind legs. I dodged forwards, aiming for the space between his legs. I heard the slam of his body behind me as I muscled through the small gap and rolled up, angling myself back at him.

I unsheathed, holding my greatsword back for a large overhead swing. The Gores muscles twitched, and I begun to swing. As his head turned to face me, my greatsword slammed into its horns, breaking one. Taking a step forward as he recoiled, I used my momentum to swing my sword horizontally, catching his shoulder and head. He growled, baring his teeth. With a yell I let my body swing around for one final top-down strike.

My blade smashed down, breaking his second horn. He cried in pain and went tumbling backwards.

I painted hard, immediately sheathing my sword, getting ready to take advantage of the stunned gore.

"I'll set a bomb!"

My head whipped around.

"What the hell are you guys doing here?" I snapped, seeing an archer and the man from the village.

"We heard a report you'd gone on a mission. One with two Gores running around. Figured you could use some help!" Shane grinned.

The archer set her bomb and jumped away, readying her arrows.

"Shooting!" She called, right before Scar's long-range ball of frenzy virus hit her, sending her sprawling, her arrow scattered to the ground.

"The two of them are here?! Are you nuts!?"

"I was doing fine before you chumps got here!" I shouted, the situation getting ever more complicated. How was I going to explain that Scar was on my side? And to explain the hunters weren't going to hurt him?

"Go after the bigger one!" I shouted as Shane begun to run at Scar. "He's the biggest threat!"

I ran for the large gore as he jumped away from the untouched bomb.

Slowly we surrounded him, whittling down his health, though Scar kept jumping in, snapping at gore and hunter alike.

"Watch for the bomb!" I snapped, as the Shane swung his charge blade and the archer tried to dodge away. The large gore, having predicted the attack, had already jumped up and glided across the clearing towards me. I dodged away and came up in time to see the man had hit the bomb, the explosion sending them flying off their feet and into the bushes.

I was notified they had to be brought back to camp. It was then that our archer quit the quest, deciding it too hard to continue.

'Good, that means he'll probably quit too.' I thought, once again double teaming the large gore with Scar.

With a final swing overhead, the gore shuddered and collapsed, dead. I painted, wiping the sweat from my brow and begun to claim my carve form the creature when I felt panic and pain from the depths of my stomach.

I collapsed to my knees, snapping my head around to see the charge blade user had returned and had set a shock trap beneath Scar. He was now unleashing a terrible amount of phials on him, the bright green explosions sending new pain through my senses.

"Stop!" I shouted hoarsely.

"We've slain one, we should go back to camp!"

"This one will be easy to finish off. We can do it!"

"Do you want to lose all the zenny we've earned? If we need to use base camp once more, we get nothing. The mission is done already. Leave him for a different day!"

"Stop chickening out and learn to take some risks! I'll set a pitfall now, we'll be able to slay him no problem!"

He fled from Scar, who had to stop and take a breath, staring wearily from Shane to me.

The man knelt to place his second trap, Scar getting ready to charge.

I was sprinting in an instant, but I was still so far away. Scar was running straight for the trap!

The moment his claw landed he tumbled down, the panicked feeling taking over my stomach again. Shane slashed at Scar, leading with his charge blade. But now I was close.

He wound up his sword, switching into his axe midair. It sparked with the power of his phials as he prepared for a super. And I tackled him right before his axe connected. The phials exploded around us, sending the both of us flying with its shockwave.

"What the fuck is wrong with you!?" He struggled from the ground, his charge blade empty now.

I staggered to my feet, no way of turning back now.

"You're not going to slay this Gore." I told him, dirt and dust falling from my clothes. I grabbed the hilt of my greatsword. "Not without going through me."

I felt a tingle along the scar on my stomach. I could hear that Scar had also gotten out of the trap.

"Have you hit your head a few too many times!? Why are you defending a monster!?"

I didn't have an answer for him. I didn't know the answer myself, but I could feel my strength welling up inside me.

"You're fucking nuts! Do you hear me? Get out of the way right now. I'll finish this quest myself."

Scar coiled his muscles, low and ready to pounce. I was between the two of them.

"He'll kill you, you know! He's about to attack you right now!"

"No." I replied, matter of fact, "He'll kill you."

I took a few steps back, the closer I got to Scar, the stronger and more assured I felt. It felt like my very instincts were telling me to save him.

"These things aren't pets you know. It will kill you."

I laughed at him.

"You have no idea what they are. Neither do I. But... maybe they're not as monstrous as we think they are."

His face transformed into disgust.

"I'll kill that Gore and I'll bring you back to your goddamn senses hunter!"

He begun to charge at us, but before he could reach, I felt myself grabbed from the waist. My feet were yanked from the ground as I was brought higher and higher into the sky. I saw the hunter begin to shrink in the clearing until he was nothing but a spec in the dirt. Then I was flying.

Nestled between his two back claws, I felt nothing but the warm skin of his paws, his claws circled around my ribs like a cage.

I watched, amazed at the Steppe revealed itself below. It was even better than flying in a hot air balloon. I felt free.

All too soon it ended, Scar descending to a small alcove in a discreet mountain among many.

Though he carried me gently, he let me go too early and I landed rather hard, my feet and legs stinging from the impact.

Exhausted he begun to drag himself into his cave, his furry wings dragging behind him like a cape.

I followed after him, seeing him collapse with a groan and curl up on a crude nest made of large branches and softened with some leaves pressed down continuously with his weight.

I unbuckled my weapon, taking my pack and preparing a few things. Drenching the meat again with my mega potions I took one myself and began to munch on some herbs. I brought the meat over to Scar, holding it up to his nose to smell.

He snatched them from my hand quickly, nearly taking a few of my fingers off. Tearing into it, he cracked the bones between his teeth sucking out the marrow.

As he ate I found a seat on a rock, sitting half facing the wyvern and half away, thinking about how I was going to get back to the village. I also had to think of what to do about that troublesome hunter that kept following me around... Shane.

'I have no idea where I am first of all. And second, what am I going to do when I go back to town? Maybe I can pass it off like I didn't want him to steal my kill? The archer wasn't there so it would be his word against mine. I could claim he was trying to slander my name as a hunter because he's jealous I was doing more damage during the fighting perhaps...'

I flinched, suddenly bathed in a cloud of frenzy virus. While preoccupied with my thoughts, Scar had skulked over to me. I could feel puffs of air as he sniffed at me, the frenzy cloud getting thicker. He growled. I could feel disquiet in my gut as the deep noise shook me to my core. I looked for my weapon, feeling foolish to have taken it off. Why had I left my sword? I panicked. Even though there was some kind of odd connection, it was no excuse to be in the presence of a dangerous monster without a weapon!

I stood, crouching to dodge away, but as if he could sense my intent, his jaws grabbed my body. Terror bloomed in my stomach as my body's reaction was to freeze. I willed myself to force his jaws open and remove myself, but I could feel the rows of his sharp pointed teeth on the verge of pressing through my skin.

"Scar, let me go. This isn't funny." I felt my heart beating a mile a minute as I looked down into his large throat, as if it were threatening me.

"After all this, I don't want to be eaten." I squeezed my eyes shut, feeling his spittle oozing over my arms and legs.

I looked desperately for my sword again, but it was still so far.

Spitting me into his nest, my body began to shake. Fear occupied my mind as anger filled my stomach. My scar throbbed and frenzy virus exploded around me.

Scar leaned in close again, sniffing me. He pressed his nose straight to me, dragging the thick, gooey wyvern saliva all over me.

I felt suddenly wrong and different. I didn't smell right. I didn't smell like him.

With another deep growl, his flared his wings, my vision completely flooded by the purple-black cloud. The only thing I could manage to see was Scar, and something that had grown to a large size on his lower half.

I was pushed onto my belly by his snout, and I immediately sprang to all fours, crawling in the direction of my sword. Today wouldn't be the day I die.

Black arms as big as wooden poles landed in front of me, caging my lower torso under his. I felt his tail circle around my foot, and something else press beneath my faulds.

I tried to pull my foot free, but his tail wrapped tighter and pulled back. I bug my fingers into the branches to stop, but in the end it only made a mess of my palms, blood and pain pulsing throughout. I flinched as his tail circled, uncomfortably tight around my ankle.

I could feel the chilled saliva begin to warm up and soak into the shorts I wore beneath my armour. Both my heat and the heat from the hard thing between my legs became hot when pressed together.

I felt Scar push forward, the long appendage pushing my faulds up, folding them backwards to rest on my back and stomach.

He pulled back, pressing harder against me as he slid forward. I shivered, feeling the ridges tease me through my shorts. It pressed the wetness against me, easily soaking through my underwear as well. I breathed heavily my stomach feeling warm.

Scar's body pressed down onto mine, pushing my chest against the ground, while his thrusting kept my hips pressed high. I glanced back between my legs seeing a dark rod rubbing against me, a purple, translucent liquid smeared along my shorts and thighs. I didn't know anymore if the wetness I felt on my lower half was saliva, Scar's or my own. I panted, the patient and rhythmic thrusting keeping the hot feeling my stomach and between my legs at a constant plateau.

I felt his feelers circle my face, lifting my chin up. I gasped, my mouth drawing in the clouds of frenzy virus. It was hot and tickled my throat as I felt it slither down to meet the pulsing in my stomach. I began to feel alert to the things around me. The branches of the nest, the rocks, my sword. I knew where they were without having to see them.

His feelers explored my face, stroking my cheeks, exploring my nose and slipping into my mouth. They stroked my tongue, taking the time to search all the nooks and crannies.

I could hear my own mewling, the plateau driving me crazy. I shifted my hips, pressing my thighs together. I felt moisture squeeze from my shorts and begin to drip down my legs. I felt a shock of pleasure that didn't seem entirely my own as the he rubbed even harder.

I thrust my hips back against his. Feeling the pleasure at last begin to build. I panted, sucking in the frenzy virus at an alarming rate. As it trickled down my throat and into my stomach it warmed, filling my belly with fire. My body was going to melt, but I couldn't stop myself. I rocked my hips on his erect member wanting it to slide inside of me instead of on my thighs. If I pulled down my shorts would he slide in? How would it feel to have that big, imposing weapon inside of me?

I moaned, arching my back. I could hear the wet sounds we made as I humped him shamelessly, like I was nothing more than an animal following its base instincts.

My crescendo of cries echoed in the empty cave. With a strangled gasp my body convulsed, tightening my thighs around the thick, black cock. I collapsed to the ground, my body helpless as it shivered in orgasm.

A fierce growl sounded behind me. I flipped myself over, met with a thick wash of purple-tinged cum.

My body jerked, a secondary orgasm hitting me. I had never felt one like this before. My hips bucked as my muscles tightened and squeezed as I continued to be glazed in his cock juice. I cried out, unable to control myself, my mouth opening up. His semen began to wash inside but I found I didn't care. I wanted to be covered in it, to have it inside me, to fill me up completely.

Even as the gore finished and curled up, satisfied, the compulsion pulled through my limbs. I let myself fall into the puddle of his pleasure, rolling in it, like a pig in mud. I cupped my hands, drawing it around and over me, drowning myself in it. In the back of my head I knew this wasn't normal, but I couldn't stop myself until I had finished smearing it over myself completely.

I sat, exhausted, my clothes soaked through, the mixture beginning to take on a foul odour.

I hazarded a glance at Scar. Though he was in a sleeping pose, his feelers were still alert. I saw the corners of his mouth turned upwards, like he was pleased with himself.

A sudden pit of dread came over me, but even that was pushed away, overwhelmed by... _something_.

I sat still, waiting until Scar had fallen asleep before removing myself from the soiled section of his nest. I shivered, for a different reason this time, as a weight came off my mind and the cool air caressed my sticky skin. I descended from Scar's perch, my footing more and more precarious as the sun slipped away, leaving me in twilight.

I made good time, but the village was still far away. I would have to make camp for the night.

I made a makeshift shelter, and used my spit to cook my remaining raw meat. Eating them, I covered myself with what warmth I had or I could find and settled into my bed after cleaning what I could off of my clothes and my person.

I lay awake for a long time, thinking. My head finally felt clear. I knew what happened in the cave wasn't right. Nothing about it was right, but why had I acted like that? As I drifted off, my mind was still troubled and I slept fitfully.

—

"Hunter - present your hands. You are under arrest."

"Arrest? What the hell for?"

"Conspiring with monsters, threat of another hunter, harm to another hunter, protecting a contracted monster. For these you will stand trial before the council on the first of the 8th day cycle at noon."

"Are you kidding me?" I felt my breath catch in my throat.

"Please surrender your weapon."

One of the two guards approached me. I stepped away instinctively. He frowned, him and his partner's hands coming to their weapons.

"I ask that you come peacefully." He said through gritted teeth and a guarded glare.

We stood at stalemate as I thought what would be for the best. Could I run and live on my own? Travel to a far off land and find a new village there? Or should I stand trial in the hopes I'd be proven innocent. That bastard had squealed, but I never hurt him, I'd never even threatened him. I wondered if I could pass it off as if I was trying to protect him.

"Look, the monster lover has decided to come back." That bastard Shane from earlier stepped out from the blacksmith's sporting a new set of Gore Magala armour.

"You! What kind of bullshit are you trying to pull?!" I snapped, still conscious of the guards as they begin to take small steps closer to me.

"A hunter like you has no place here. You don't even deserve to be called a hunter, protecting a gore like that. Cuff the crazy one already guards, before she sacrifices you to her little wyvern friends."

"I was trying to prevent you from being killed dumbass!" I yelled loudly for everyone gathering to hear.

I would reclaim my place in town and make this fool look like the idiot he was.

"I was trying to save your life and you left me for dead! Put me on trial if you like." Unstrapping my greatsword I turned it around, handle towards the guards.

"Please take care of it. I'll be needing it for more monsters as soon as my innocence is proven." The crowd around me began to murmur, looks of disapproval directed towards Shane.

After the guards took my sword I surrendered my hands to be bound. They came forward, relieved they wouldn't have to fight a hunter and tied a rope around my hands quickly.

As I walked away I felt a tingle in my stomach. I closed my eyes at the sudden vertigo, feeling a bloodlust leak through my limbs.

"Quickly. Let's hurry up and get this over with." I mumbled, trying to push the sudden emotions away. I staggered against a guard, my hands balled into fists.

"Are... you okay?" One of them asked.

"I... feel dizzy." I said, my head feeling hazy again. Blood. I just wanted to taste... blood.

I felt a stone hit the back of my head.

"Monster fucker."

All the rage coiled in my belly lashed out like a cobra. I felt like an insignificant life form was about to die at my hands. And it felt good.

I twisted elegantly out from between the two guards, grabbing the short sword from one of their hips. I ran at the charge blade user, his cocky grin transforming into panic as I sprinted at him.

"Someone stop her!" He yelled, fumbling for his own weapon. He wouldn't have time though, not with a weapon that big.

"You're a fighter aren't you? Why don't you do it?" A cool mocking tone twisted my words in ways I had never heard before. "A flimsy piece of shit hunter like you deserves to have his insides ripped out and eaten in front of him!" I snarled, feeling my mouth salivate. It felt like there was blood in my mouth and it tasted delicious. I felt the slaver drip down my face as I swung the short sword swiftly at him. He dodged the first, but the second glanced his shoulder. I saw blood and grinned madly. Twisting the short sword, next I would pierce his heart.

An explosion of yellow surrounded us and we collapsed to the ground. My body wouldn't do what I wanted it to, the sword laying useless at my side. On the ground I saw a bow gun user, a paralysis bomb no doubt the culprit.

"I'll fucking kill you!" As the crowd of worried villagers and hunters alike gathered the guards begun to drag me up and away.

"I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!"

In the back of my mind, I knew this wasn't going to help with the trial.

My stomach blazed.


	4. Chapter 4: The Trial

The Golden Gore 4: The Trial

"How long's it been? Huh? Can't you tell me that at least?" My voice croaked.

The steel bars clacked shut after disposing my allotment of food for the morning. Or was it evening? The cells were too dark to tell.

I had been keeping track for the first day, but being stuck in that cell, my mind began to play tricks on me. I slept longer down here, at strange hours, and I'd been having increasingly strange dreams: dreams of stalking monsters, and chasing them like a predator and not as a hunter. It felt so real - as if I could feel the brush of leaves on my skin and the water on my feet. It was a welcome escape to my reality.

Unenthusiastically I took the food. It wasn't a good meal. It was barely palatable, but the best seasoning was starvation.

I picked at it slowly, relishing how something slid down into my empty belly. After I'd licked the bowl clean I felt my stomach throb.

"Again..." I put a hand to the hot skin, feeling a reaction between my legs. It had happened every time after I'd eaten. At first I'd tried to ignore it. 'There'll be a better time and place' is what I told myself. But the feeling hadn't gone away. It persisted past the point of fatigue, stopping me from resting. It only went away once I finally obliged it.

'Why does this keep happening?'

Listening to make sure no one was coming, I slipped my fingers into the rough brown pants I'd been forced to wear, finding myself already dripping wet.

I shivered as I leaned my back against the uneven stones, my entire body singing in joy.

My muscles began to twitch as I rubbed myself unabashedly. It seemed like today as well it would be as intense as the others.

I bit my finger to keep myself from moaning loudly. I slid it down, slick instantly with my own juices. I slipped a finger into myself past my lips. I could feel my bottom half clench tightly, squeezing. I teased my walls, each movement squelching loudly as the wetness dripped onto my pants.

'Further... deeper... thicker.' I licked my fingers, spreading my legs as far as they could go. I squatted over my finger shaking and twisting my hips. My usual spot wasn't enough. Deeper inside I throbbed.

'Deeper!' I added another finger, ready to cry out. Just by myself wasn't enough. I wanted cock. I wanted a big, fat, dripping cock to force itself deep into my insides. I wanted it to force me open, spilling its cum into me.

As I imagined a dark shape plunging into me, I could almost feel the wash of warm liquid splashing within me. My eyes fluttered behind my eyelids and I saw a dark figure in my mind's eye.

With a whimper my hips bucked, desperately trying to muffle my moans with my fingers as the pleasure came in a long wave. I collapsed forward at its crest, my cheek pressed against the dirty stone floor, riding the gentle descent.

Why was it so good? How could it be in a place like this, or a time like this?

I didn't have much time to think about it. I had just finished cleaning myself off when I heard footsteps approaching.

"It's time." The metal door swung open, scraping against the grooves already marked deep in the ground.

I begun to stand, not fast enough, and he grabbed the back of my shirt, yanking me onto my feet. I stumbled as he immediately began to pull me, making sure to always keep me off-balance on my tiptoes. He was smart, after all, even with my arms now bound, if I managed to get good footing I'd be able to do damage.

"Here she is." The guards shoved me to a taller man, more muscled and with light blonde waves.

"How the mighty have fallen. Thank you gentlemen. I'll take her from here."

I frowned.

"Alister? What rock have you been living under? I haven't seen you in the field for... well it's about 3 years now?" I chided, my voice hoarse from thirst.

"Who needs to fight monsters when I can guard the towns. It's better pay and the benefits are to die for."

I rolled my eyes and followed his lead down the grandiose guildhall.

"A cushy life is going to be the thing that kills you: when a monster attacks and your instincts scream to save the vintages."

He laughed, his voice like a bell, ringing cleanly into the echoing hall. "I guess we'll see about that. One day."

I looked to him... studying him. It seemed to me as if he hadn't aged well. I used to think he was one of the best looking in the entire guild. Bright gleaming smile, tall, muscled, all his teeth still intact - everything a good hunter should be, and with a handsome face to boot. Now he didn't much look different, but his appearance made me surprised I'd ever been enthralled with him. He looked weak now, and pale. The pastels he wore washed him out, and I found myself thinking of different colour scheme.

"After you."

It would have seemed more chivalrous if I didn't know it was required for the accused to walk in first.

I took a few steps forward and on cue he opened the door.

I walked in, my head held high. How quickly the people turn on their precious hunters. They'd all be dead if it wasn't for the likes of us protecting them, but they were so eager to throw you behind bars. I heard many sounds of disapproval, but it all just sounded like the bleating of sheep.

Coming to the podium, Alister bound my ankle with an iron manacle and locked a barred door behind me.

"Hunter 749 - you are accused of conspiring with monsters, protecting a contracted monster, threat to another hunter, harm to another hunter and..." he sighed. "Fornication with monsters. How do you plead? "

I laughed out loud.

"Not guilty. Except threat to a hunter. That I did do. Punishable by community service is it not?"

The crowd stirred and an uproar of insults exploded.

"We saw you in town! She's violent she is! It won't be long till she kills a person! She won't stop at just monsters!"

"Monster fucker!"

"Kill her!"

"Feed her to the monsters she loves so much!"

I took the time to scan the crowd and pick out a few key players.

"SILENCE!" The council's spokesman boomed over the hubbub, bringing the room again to a simmering silence.

"What is your defence?"

"The hunter Shane will no doubt spin stories of my infidelity - I defended a monster because I wanted to save it or something along those lines. It's a load of bullshit. Pardon my language but I'm not the most eloquent of ladies. I know how to hunt, and that's what I do. I wouldn't think of hurting another hunter unless they crossed me and interfered with my goals. Let's get the accuser out here. I want to hear his side of the story."

The spokesman sighed and gestured for Shane to take his place.

"Good ladies and gentlemen, not all hunters are as crass as this one. I beseech you to listen to what I have I say with open ears and judge for yourself. It started when I accepted a quest in an unstable environment. Two Gore Magalas were said to be in the area and only one hunter had departed. I recognized her guild number and thought it would be wise to help. She's a good hunter, but no one's _that_ good.

Once I got there she was already fighting the two Gore Magalas. She looked to be in bad shape, so I jumped in to help. She set off a bomb on me and came between the remaining gore and myself once we had slain the first. The fervour with which she defended the monster was... unusual. The monster as well did not seem eager to attack her, bringing me to conclude a special relationship... of a most un-virtuous sort."

The crowd burst into whispers again. The spokesman looked to me for my rebuttal.

"What a gallant lad, spinning his gallant tales of heroics and bravery. What he failed to mention is that there was someone else there that day."

I pointed out the archer in the crowd.

"The one who set the bomb. _And_ it was our gallant charge-blade user that missed the monster and set it off on the two of them. The archer abandoned after having to go back to the campsite. All this after I made it clear to gallant Shane here that I wanted none of his incompetent help. It was my mission that I took on myself, and a mission they should have never been let to go on in the first place! As my record will show I tend to go in alone because I can't stand others getting in my way. And for these fools..." I could feel my rage intensifying. I had to calm down. I took a breath in.

"For these hunters, they lowered my reward price and did more harm than help. We had slain the first Gore. Shane was eager to go after the next. I told him to turn back, and that this one wasn't for him. He insisted, so I diverted his attacks."

The audience's murmuring got louder.

"Yes, this Gore Magala is special, but not because I fuck it. This one is special because it has a scar on it, right here." I drew a line across my chest.

"I know because I put it there myself. When it gave me this."

I lifted my shirt to expose the purple-grey claw scars embedded in my skin.

The audience gasped.

"So you can see why I didn't want you killing it. I wanted that pleasure for myself."

Exclamations burst throughout the room, and the spokesman had to shout several times to calm them down.

But saying the lie felt so wrong that I wanted to cut my own tongue out. This wasn't the first nor the last lie I would tell. It was a white lie that would hurt no one. But even alluding to killing Scar made my insides twist.

I looked over to see Shane glowering at me.

"Though that snake of a woman has spun her tales to make it seem like I am the one in the wrong, she still attacked me, and was going to kill me! Many of you saw it, all in broad daylight! I would like to hear her excuse for that!"

My anger boiled again, and I saw red. I was tired of dealing with this insolent little twerp.

"You called me a monster fucker, I think that constitutes a few punches. You know what it's like to slander someone's name around here."

"You should have acted more like an adult and had a talk with me then."

"Where the hell do you get off saying whatever the fuck you want? I'm not taking your bullshit, asshole!" It was hot in my belly. The rage was white hot and burning. I could hear myself becoming less convincing by the second but when I saw his face, I couldn't stop myself. His stupid, smug, little piece of shit face.

"It seems you're reacting pretty badly to this, maybe there IS something you're trying to hide." He whined snarkily.

"You're the one making stupid accusations. For all I know YOU'RE a monster fucker!"

I bit my cheek to bring myself back but it was no use. He was getting under my skin, and he knew it. He let my insult bounce off him, going to pick at me more.

The crowd was shouting now, and nothing the spokesman said could quiet them down. The din of shouting voices only made it worse.

"I can see it now, putting down the sword you swore to protect this village with and spreading your whore legs for a Gore Magala, the most foul of all beasts."

"Your mouth is awfully loud. You'd think you'd have some skills to back up you talk, but I was right the first time."

And ungodly amount of power seemed to seize my limbs, and it was if my consciousness took a step back and watched as my body curled its hands around the wooden posts surrounding it. It ripped one of them off and begun to take aim as it lifted above my head.

"YOU DESERVE TO DIE!"

My voice snarled, hurling a pointed piece of wood straight at his head.

He yelped, not having much room to react and it instead took him in his arm as he lifted it to protect himself.

The next few seconds were chaos.

Shane looked at his arm, which began to leak blood. The onlookers screeched, all getting up from their seats and looking for the nearest escape. The guards were already on me, now back in my proper state, but still with so much bloodlust pulsing through my veins.

They were forcing my head down, clamping both my feet together and forcing a cloth bag over my hands. I struggled against them, but it was 3 vs. 1, and both my hands and feet were already tied.

This would be the end.

"Stop! Leave her be!"

Her voice was almost inaudible even as it hollered, hoping to get above at least a few voices.

"This is no temperament!" I could see feet before the spokesman, but when I tried to look up, my head was forced back into the ground.

"She is ill, she has a sickness inside of her!"

As most of the crowd had left already and Shane had been escorted out, her voice was finally more audible.

"What should we do with her spokesman?"

"Lock her up. She'll be executed in a few days."

"Do NOT execute her! It's not her fault! It's the Gore's virus within her! Have you not seen her wound?"

"What madness are you talking about woman?" He finally snapped at her

I was hauled to my feet, my arms bound to my body by another rope, leaving any movement impossible to me.

"You've seen her wound. I bear the same one."

She pulled her tunic from her left shoulder, exposing puckered and scarred flesh, the same colour as mine.

"She's not responsible for the rage or the bloodlust, but it belongs to the Gore that marked her. I can treat a big portion of this so she will not be affected. Put her in jail if you must but do not take her life. She's done nothing but be a victim."

She pleaded to the chairman, her long white hair a wisp in the wind. Her face was almost skeletal, but she had bright look in her eyes.

"Why should I bother? One more mouth to feed in the prisons?"

"Because she is an innocent life that should not be locked up at all! She has served this village and kept it safe, I'm sure you could look at her hunter's history to find the tales of her dedication."

"If it will get you to stop bothering me about it, take the girl, but she goes to the prisons if and only if she shows perfect sensibilities."

"Yes spokesman. Men, if you would be so kind as to help me bring her."

They looked to the spokesman, looking for some kind of out, but he waved them away, obviously annoyed and eager to be rid of all these problems.

"Go, go."

He was already out of the room by the time they had picked me up.

I had to hand it to this grandma, she really came through for me, though I wasn't sure why.

Her house was a hut on the outskirts of town, no doubt an isolated woman.

She had the men lay me down and tie me up: my legs together at the ankles and my arms against my sides, one thick rope tethering me to the main support of the house. Struggle as I might, my strength from before had vanished as had the rage. Now I felt oddly empty.

"That'll do boys, thank you! Now would you fine young men like to stay for some tea?"

She turned to them, her eyes beady in the dim light.

"We... uh... we need to get back now."

"Oh well, I won't keep you waiting."

"..."

"Finally alone..." She murmured as they left.

"Why'd you save me granny?"

She looked at me, "Well you get right to it! Didn't I say it before though? The same thing happened to me. Though I was one of the first unlucky ones to discover this condition. I was almost killed myself a few times. It was a lot of trial and error, but I found a few things."

"You feel its emotions every so often, don't you?" Her eyes bore down on me.

I stayed quiet. I still didn't know if I could trust her. But then again, why save me, only to kill me?

"Well, no need to answer. I know perfectly well. The hungers, the bloodthirst, the lascivious impulses. I was just looking to make you more comfortable." She shrugged, grabbing a few different plants and a thick book that looked to have been scribbled in by hand.

"This process will be painful, but for now I need you to rest a bit and regain your strength. I'll have to keep you tried up, unfortunately, but please eat this. She broke off some bread from a loaf sitting by her hearth and some cheese off a small wheel. She fed it to me, and despite having felt full from the slop I'd been served, the creaminess of the cheese melted in my mouth, giving me more than that prison porridge ever could. After a few more bites and an apple shed sliced for me, she helped me drink down a hot tea. The sun was beginning to set, and she'd started up the fire. Sitting by it a pleasant warmth stroked every part of my body. My eyes grew heavy. Even despite the ropes I found myself drifting off, unable to stay awake for a moment longer.

When I woke up there was a fierce pain in my stomach, as if it were on fire. I went to cry out and to grab at my scar, but my arms and legs were tied to different beams, so tightly I couldn't even bend them. The old woman's eyes shone darkly, the embers and the moonlight giving just enough light for them to glint like black stones.

* * *

"Ah, you're awake. That was faster than I expected."

"What are you doing?" As I spoke, my tongue felt like cotton in my mouth. My words came out fuzzy and weak.

"Well the sleeping drought may have worn off, but you should still be paralyzed for quite a bit yet. I'm surprised hunter, you can't detect traces of ground, dried parashrooms? What a shame... even if I did mask it with herbs."

I tried to pull my limbs but they didn't respond to me. It was as if I couldn't use my muscles at all.

"Time to continue then." Brandishing a small thin blade she brought it to my scars, the brown shirt having been cut away completely.

I grunted as she dug the blade into my skin, beginning to cut pieces away. She laid the discoloured flesh carefully beside her. She looked positively giddy.

"I thought you were going to help me. What are you doing!?" I managed, wrestling with my tongue at each new word.

"Well yes. But I'm also helping me you see." She began to put a poultice in my wound. "I'm helping to get rid of the Gore's influence inside you, but of course I need somewhere to put it. So I'll put it inside myself you see? I'll keep you alive, but just until I've transferred it. Then you're on your own."

She giggled wickedly, bringing the same dagger full of my blood to her own stomach.

"You don't want it! You're crathy!" My head was fuzzy but my instincts, trained through the years told me this was a dangerous scenario.

"Don't want it!? Crazy?! You know what's crazy? Everything they tried to do to _me_. Countless experiments and so many days of pain. Eventually, they resorted to just kill my Gore Magala. I felt it you know. I felt a piece of me die that day, and I've never gotten it back. Do you know what it feels like to live, but be only ever half alive?"

"Well, I guess you will soon enough, then one day you might understand what I'm doing and forgive me."

She slid the dagger across her wrinkled skin, blood springing to the surface. She gasped but grabbed the skin she had carved from me. She dangled it above her mouth, then slurped it down like a noodle.

I watched in horror as she ate my skin, hoping that somehow, somewhere this was just a terrible nightmare. But then I felt the rage and bloodlust set in.

It flared to life, but my body was still unable to move. I screamed as it burned in my very veins.

"I feel it! Yes! Yes! I feel it! I need more!"

"Stop! Stop it!" The rage turned to the woman. This was wrong. She was stealing from me.

She ignored me, taking the knife to the second line on my scar, beginning to pare away my skin. Again she stuffed in the poultice, her giggles mixing with my screams. Even as I yelled, the sounds around me got further and further away.

A black ichor began to seep out of the first claw mark she'd eaten. She began to eat the second piece of my skin.

"I feel you!" She raised her arms, touching her curves in the moonlight, languidly as if she was drunk.

"I feel alive!" Her cheeks became flushed and she bent to lick the black from my stomach. Then the blood from her dagger as she sliced her own skin open again.

I could see the skin knotting back together as quickly as she'd never cut it in the first place.

"Ah! It's so good! It feels so good!" She gasped, her hand moving to her mound. She began to touch herself, gasping and writing in pleasure as she straddled overtop of me.

"My Gore! Come back to me!" She shouted out, her voice high with pleasure.

The screaming in my veins wouldn't stop, and a new throb began between my own legs. I could feel her pleasure as she touched herself, and feel the ever-strong anger and hatred of the Gore.

My ears pulsed, sounding like a waterfall was pounding within them. I felt snaps, and saw a startled look on the woman's face. My hands appeared before my eyes and I was on top of her.

Her head hit the ground, the crashing waves overpowering the wet thud. Her head had split and was bleeding. She was screeching and clawing at me, trying to stab me with the dagger. I caught her flailing hand and easily wrestled it from her fragile grasp. She was yelling but I couldn't hear her. I brought the dagger down.

We recoiled in pain, but the blow I'd dealt had been lethal. I saw her body stop moving, but there was an ache of pain where I had pierced her.

No way would I be kept out of prison after them finding me like this.

I grabbed a long cloak the woman had had sitting by the door and covered myself in it. It felt hard to breathe, like I was leaving a part of me behind, but I didn't have time to worry about it, must less bury her, or even make it look any less brutal than it was.

I stopped by my home, sneaking through the back to grab my secondary blade and whatever supplies I could carry on me. Strapping on an old set of armour it would have to do. The rest I couldn't take with me was as good as gone. I could never return here.

But neither could I hang around and be sentimental about it.

I was off into the forest, my wounds starting to throb. I held my stomach together, knowing I would need some stitches with how much skin the woman taken off. If I could make it to the Steppe at least...

I could feel blood soaking through the wounds on my stomach and out on top my hand. I felt dizzy, but I pushed my feet onwards. I needed to find shelter.

Collapsing beside the pond, I took a second to catch my breath. By now it was dark, and the stars were shining brightly.

I looked at the damage. Washing off the poultices, it wasn't good. From my medical kit, I washed it the best I could before threading a needle and gut through my skin. Biting the tattered and stained rough spun, I felt even sicker to my stomach when I finished the second. Washing and dressing it I laid on the dock, breathing in the chill night air. My eyes closed. My stomach throbbed. I wished this night would be over already.

The light eclipsed.

Opening my eyes I saw that familiar dark scar. I couldn't tell if it was my imagination or if it was real. My fingers flexed for my greatsword, but there was no strength left in my body.

I closed my eyes.


End file.
